Blank cartridge.



No. 726,579. PATENTB D APR. 28, 1903. 0. SGHUTTE.

BLANK CARTRIDGE.

APPLIODATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1902. no MODEL.

aitoznew UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

OTTO SOHUTTE, OF CZERSK, GERMANY.

BLANK CARTRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,579, dated April 28,1903.

Application filed September 22, 1902. Serial No. 124,451. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO SCHUTTE, a subject of the King of Prussia, Emperor of Germany, residing at Czersk, Prussia, German Empire, (post-office address am Bahnhofestrasse, Ozersk, East Prussia,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blank Cartridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact-description.

The blank cartridge forming the subjectmatter of my present invention is designed to possess the same detonating force and the same back stroke as a real cartridge without,

however, possessing the disadvantages of the blank cartridges hitherto used, which, owing to the hollow wooden shot-casing employed in the same not being destroyed, is often expelledwith such force as to occasion very seriou's wounds. For this reason the blank cartridges hitherto used require a zone of danger of one hundred meters.

In the accompanying drawings one form of construction of my improved blank cartridge is shown in several views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a fullsized specimen. Fig. 2 represents the forward part of Fig. l on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line m n of Fig. 2.

My improved cartridge consists of the shell (I, the priming e, the charge c,-a felt wad b, and closing or end plate or wad a. The shell d,which is made, preferably, of one piece, possesses the form and length of a real cartridge, including the paratively strong charge 0. Its forward part, which represents the projectile, is hollow and of considerably-smaller diameter than the rear, which represents the shell. The felt wad b is inserted into the cartridge, pressed tightly against the charge 0 in the shell, and held against movement by the inwardly-deflected portions f, formed by the reduction in the shell. A conical end plate or wad a, of cork or elder-pith, rendered non-hygroscopic and waterproof by some suitable agent, is fitted into the forward end of the cartridge,

rojectile, and contains a comwhich is turned inwardly and provided with inwardly-turned lugs h, against which the platea bears. 0n firing the charge ccan only expel the felt wad I) through the long front part of the shell d relatively slowly, so that complete combustion of the charge occurs, and the detonation is accordingly greater. Both the felt wad b and the plate or wad a are pressed out of the casing, and this rcquir- 5 5 ing force, owing to the impediments in their path, the back stroke of the ride is obtained as with real cartridges. The gases after leaving the shell 01 destroy the felt wad b and the plate or wad a in the barrel of the rifle after this has been accomplished in being expelled from the shell d. The zone of danger can be reduced to ten meters with these blank cartridges.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. A blank cartridge comprising a metallic shell of a length equal to the shell of an ordinary cartridge and its projectile, reduced at its forward portion to correspond to the external appearance of the projectile, acharge of powder in the rear of the shell, and a wad holding the powder and being held against movement by the shoulder formed by the re-' duction of the shell.

2. A blank cartridge comprising a metallic shell of a length equal to the shell of an ordinary cartridge and its projectile, reduced at its forward portion to correspond to the external appearance of the projectile, said forward end being open, a charge of powder in the rear of the shell, a wad holding the powder and being held against movement by the shoulder formed by the reduction of the shell,

I and a wad of easily-destructible material closing the open end of the shell.

In witness whereof I have subscribed my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

OTTO SCHUTTE.

Witnesses ERNST KATZ, ALBERT SHENK. 

